Officers uncover Pope County meth operation Katherine R. Ross, 25, and Gary A. Hicks, 45, each had their bond set at $100,000 during felony bond hearings on Friday after District Judge Don Bourne found probable cause to hold them on a myriad of drug-related charges. Pope County Sheriff Investigator Chris Ridenhour testified the pair were arrested for possession with purpose to deliver, felony firearm possession, felony theft by receiving and possession of drug paraphernalia. The pair ha...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSONsimpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Skartvedt of Russellville awarded 2016 National Merit ScholarshipEVANSTON, Ill. -- National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) has announced approximately 3,000 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities. Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the finalists in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. These awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergrad...

Local police travel to honor Dallas officersFour officers from the Russellville Police Department (RPD) traveled to Dallas, Texas, last week to show their support for the fallen officers of the shooting attacks on July 7, when five officers were killed and several more injured during a peace protest. Sgt. Michael Hubbard, Cpl. Joe Paterak, Officers Justin Conway and Michael Nuckols left Tuesday afternoon to go to Dallas and returned Thursday afternoon and Friday. Paterak and Conway said...

Child safety seat check-upHow safe is your child in your vehicle? Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of children under the age of 14. The majority of these deaths could have been easily prevented. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration 71 percent of infants and 54 percent of 1 to 4-year-olds deaths could have been prevented if only that child was properly installed in a child safety seat. There could be a 69-percent reduction i...

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Courier staff reportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Children enjoy kayaking at summer campThe Lake Dardanelle State Park hosts three, three-day summer camp sessions every year for children ages 8-12. Each session has a different theme and every day during the camp has a theme. This year marks the 14th year for camp at the park. The second summer session concluded Friday. The theme was Nature Explorers with a day theme of air, one of water and one of land. The two state park interpreters in charge of the camp were Sasha Bowles, Park...

Crime ReportRussellville Police officers arrested a 28-year-old man and cited him for disorderly conduct during a July 3 response to an apartment on North Fargo Avenue. Officer Chris Isbell overheard several people outside yelling and slamming doors. He observed a white male subject that had a bloody face sitting inside a vehicle in front of the apartment and another male subject standing outside who also had blood on his face. The suspect said he was jum...

Soccer complex to get LED lighting, well waterThe Russellville Recreation and Parks Commission approved an upgrade to LED lighting to be installed at three fields at the Russellville Soccer Complex during its regular meeting Thursday inside the Hughes Center. Recreation and Parks Director Mack Hollis said he found out that Benton installed LED lighting on three of its soccer fields at a price within Russellville's budget. He contacted a representative of Musco Sports Lighting LLC, who sai...

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BY SEAN INGRAMsean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Allen receives environmental education awardThe Arkansas Environmental Education Association (AEEA) awards three different environmental educator awards every two years. In June, Dr. Robert Allen was awarded the 2016 AEEA Robert McAfee Environmental Education Service Award, named after one of the AEEA’s founding members. According to a press release from AEEA, recipients must be exhibit personal and professional commitment to environmental education, service, awareness, knowledge and ac...

State says death row inmates not entitled to reviewLITTLE ROCK -- Government lawyers said Thursday that eight death row inmates who lost a challenge to secrecy provisions within Arkansas' execution protocol aren't entitled to another review and that further filings by the prisoners would delay justice for victims and their families. The Arkansas Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, ruled against the inmates June 23. Their lawyers subsequently asked justices to reconsider their decision, and reque...

Bond hearingsThe following individuals appeared during felony bond hearings conducted by District Judge Don Bourne Monday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear in Pope County Circuit Court. n Randall L. Boast, age 60, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm -- $75,000. n Frank C. Morg...

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Compiled by Courier StaffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Used bikes get new purposeMembers of Recycle Bikes for Kids (RBFK) unloaded 101 bicycles Thursday afternoon at the Main Street Mission in Russellville for a giveaway Saturday morning to benefit local children and teens in need of a bike. "We're happy to do it and glad to be involved," said Ron King, who works with RBFK out of Little Rock. The program has been around for eight years and has been able to fix up and give away over 11,000 bicycles during that time. The com...

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BY JOSHUA MASHON
joshua@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Aquatic Center work going wellRussellville Recreation and Parks Director Mack Hollis said Thursday that work is nearly on schedule and going well at the Aquatic Center. He reported to the Recreation and Parks Commission that city officials, representatives of Van Horn Construction and ETC Engineers & Architects Inc. of Little Rock met Thursday morning. "It was a very good, positive meeting," Hollis said. "Everyone is getting along and communicating well with each other. If...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

ATU hosts open forum to discussMore than 60 members of the Arkansas Tech University community attended a "Tech Talks" open forum at Baswell Techionery on Wednesday to share points of view on recent acts of violence in Orlando, Baton Rouge, suburban St. Paul and in downtown Dallas. Participants in the hour-long forum included Arkansas Tech students, faculty, staff and alumni. "We are all deeply troubled by the recent events in Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Texas and so many...

8 students participate in Safe Sitter courseEvery summer, Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center partners with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service and the Pope County EMS to offer Safe Sitter courses to local teens. “Because we are so accustomed to working with youth, we are working with Saint Mary’s to provide this class,” said Robbie Rye, U of A Division of Agriculture youth educator. She said this is the tenth year the course has been offere...

One injured after apartment blazeFour units of Russellville firefighters, including three engine companies and one truck company under the command of Battalion Chief Kurt McBryde, along with the Fire Marshal's Office, responded at approximately 4:34 a.m. Wednesday to a structure fire at 1616 East 16th Street, Woodbrook Apartments. Upon arrival, fire companies found heavy fire coming from a single apartment unit. Firefighters entered the structure and quickly extinguished the ...

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Courier Staff ReportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Gotta catch 'em all!THE COURIER / Submitted Paige Burris with Happy Campers Clubhouse holds up an iPad Wednesday morning at Lake Dardanelle State Park as she and school age kids search the park for Pokémon and other items from the popular game Pokémon Go that has been sweeping the nation this past week.

Police: Pair robbed woman at gunpointKrista J. Chapman, 37, and Timothy J. Richards, 31, each had bonds set at $25,000 by District Judge Don Bourne during Monday's felony bond hearings. The pair were arrested on Friday after Pope County Sheriff's deputies responded to a theft of property call in Atkins. The caller told police she was at a friend's house talking with a friend, her friend's husband and two children behind their vehicle when a red Dodge Ram pulled into the driveway....

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley